274 DIARY OF A SPORTSMAN NATURALIST 



horns especially enumerated. This would have checked 

 their sale in the close seasons ; for the local officers would be 

 acquainted with these seasons for the fauna of their own 

 Province and Districts, and would be responsible for seeing 

 the Act obeyed, 



It is true that Local Governments have now framed Rules 

 under sections 2 and 3, but this does not necessarily en- 

 sure such continuity of action as would have been secured 

 had the Government of India taken the responsibility upon 

 themselves. 



There remains the poacher who without possessing 

 firearms certainly outrivals in his power for cold-blooded 

 slaughter the whole of the armed community. Neither the 

 Government of India nor the Local Governments have yet 

 attempted to deal with him. Clauses 2 and 3 do not really 

 touch him. As the chapter on poaching shows to some 

 slight extent his operations can only be described as devilish 

 in their inhuman ingenuity. To the average officer, whether 

 magistrate or forest, they are unknown. Even if a District 

 official has some cursory knowledge that the native is a skilled 

 poacher he in most instances has no specific acquaintance with 

 the methods, the common methods, in force in his district 

 and he will never have seen them put in force practically. The 

 Government of India and the various Local Governments 

 are, we may feel sure, unaware of their existence, or surely 

 some effort would have been made to put an end to practices 

 which involve appalling torture to the wretched animals 

 thus done to death. 



It may be suggested that what is required is the prepara- 

 tion of a schedule for each Province, detailing the various 

 poaching contrivances in force in the Province, drawn up 

 district by district. The schedule should be hung up in the 

 offices of the Magistrates and Forest Officers and their sub- 

 ordinates, and a thorough acquaintance with it be exacted 

 from all officers. Further, an annual return should be called 

 for detailing the number of offences under each of the 

 various poaching methods in force prosecuted in each 

 district and the sentences imposed in each case. 



The preparation of such schedules should present no 

 difficulties. Some of the European officers of the Local 

 Governments and many of the native officials would be 

 able to. give such information. By whatever means they 

 are drawn up there can be little doubt of their urgent need. 



